4 Tau

Images

Related articles

Infrared 3-4 μm Spectroscopy of Infrared Luminous Galaxies with Possible Signatures of Obscured Active Galactic NucleiWe present the results of infrared 2.8-4.1 μm (L-band) spectroscopyof nearby infrared luminous galaxies with possible signatures ofdust-obscured active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in data at otherwavelengths. The samples are chosen to include sources with a radioexcess relative to far-infrared emission, strong absorption features inmid-infrared 5-11.5 μm spectra, unusually weak [C II] 158 μmemission relative to the far-infrared continuum, and radio galaxiesclassified optically as narrow-line objects. Our aim is to investigatewhether the signatures of possible obscured AGNs can be detected in ourL-band spectra based on the strengths of emission and absorptionfeatures. Six of nine observed sources clearly show 3.3 μm polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbon emission features, a good starburst indicator. Anabsorption feature at 3.1 μm due to ice-covered dust is detected inIRAS 04154+1755 and IRAS 17208-0014. The signature of a barecarbonaceous dust absorption feature at 3.4 μm is seen in NGC 1377.Our L-band spectra reveal strong signatures of obscured AGNs in allthree optical Seyfert 2 galaxies (IRAS 04154+1755, Cygnus A, and 3C 234)and two galaxies classified optically as non-Seyfert galaxies (NGC 828and NGC 1377). Among the remaining optical non-Seyfert galaxies, IRAS17208-0014 might also show a buried AGN signature, whereas no explicitAGN evidence is seen in the L-band spectra of the mid-infraredabsorption feature source IRAS 15250+3609 and two weak [C II] emitters,IC 860 and CGCG 1510.8+0725.Based in part on data collected at the Subaru Telescope, which isoperated by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan.

CHARM2: An updated Catalog of High Angular Resolution MeasurementsWe present an update of the Catalog of High Angular ResolutionMeasurements (CHARM, Richichi & Percheron \cite{CHARM}, A&A,386, 492), which includes results available until July 2004. CHARM2 is acompilation of direct measurements by high angular resolution methods,as well as indirect estimates of stellar diameters. Its main goal is toprovide a reference list of sources which can be used for calibrationand verification observations with long-baseline optical and near-IRinterferometers. Single and binary stars are included, as are complexobjects from circumstellar shells to extragalactic sources. The presentupdate provides an increase of almost a factor of two over the previousedition. Additionally, it includes several corrections and improvements,as well as a cross-check with the valuable public release observationsof the ESO Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI). A total of 8231entries for 3238 unique sources are now present in CHARM2. Thisrepresents an increase of a factor of 3.4 and 2.0, respectively, overthe contents of the previous version of CHARM.The catalog is only available in electronic form at the CDS viaanonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/431/773

The Visual Orbits of the Spectroscopic Binaries HD 6118 and HD 27483 from the Palomar Testbed InterferometerWe present optical interferometric observations of two double-linedspectroscopic binaries, HD 6118 and HD 27483, taken with the PalomarTestbed Interferometer (PTI) in the K band. HD 6118 is one of the mosteccentric spectroscopic binaries, and HD 27483 is a spectroscopic binaryin the Hyades open cluster. The data collected with PTI in 2001-2002allow us to determine astrometric orbits, which, when combined with theradial velocity measurements, determine all orbital parameters of thesystems. The masses of the components are 2.65+/-0.27 and2.36+/-0.24Msolar for HD 6118 and 1.38+/-0.13 and1.39+/-0.13Msolar for HD 27483. The apparent semimajor axisof HD 27483 is only 1.2 mas, making it the closest binary successfullyobserved with an optical interferometer.

3D mapping of the dense interstellar gas around the Local BubbleWe present intermediate results from a long-term program of mapping theneutral absorption characteristics of the local interstellar medium,motivated by the availability of accurate and consistent parallaxes fromthe Hipparcos satellite. Equivalent widths of the interstellar NaID-line doublet at 5890 Å are presented for the lines-of-sighttowards some 311 new target stars lying within ~ 350 pc of the Sun.Using these data, together with NaI absorption measurements towards afurther ~ 240 nearby targets published in the literature (for many ofthem, in the directions of molecular clouds), and the ~ 450lines-of-sight already presented by (Sfeir et al. \cite{sfeir99}), weshow 3D absorption maps of the local distribution of neutral gas towards1005 sight-lines with Hipparcos distances as viewed from a variety ofdifferent galactic projections.The data are synthesized by means of two complementary methods, (i) bymapping of iso-equivalent width contours, and (ii) by densitydistribution calculation from the inversion of column-densities, amethod devised by Vergely et al. (\cite{vergely01}). Our present dataconfirms the view that the local cavity is deficient in cold and neutralinterstellar gas. The closest dense and cold gas ``wall'', in the firstquadrant, is at ~ 55-60 pc. There are a few isolated clouds at closerdistance, if the detected absorption is not produced by circumstellarmaterial.The maps reveal narrow or wide ``interstellar tunnels'' which connectthe Local Bubble to surrounding cavities, as predicted by the model ofCox & Smith (1974). In particular, one of these tunnels, defined bystars at 300 to 600 pc from the Sun showing negligible sodiumabsorption, connects the well known CMa void (Gry et al. \cite{gry85}),which is part of the Local Bubble, with the supershell GSH 238+00+09(Heiles \cite{heiles98}). High latitude lines-of-sight with the smallestabsorption are found in two ``chimneys'', whose directions areperpendicular to the Gould belt plane. The maps show that the LocalBubble is ``squeezed'' by surrounding shells in a complicated patternand suggest that its pressure is smaller than in those expandingregions.We discuss the locations of several HI and molecular clouds. Usingcomparisons between NaI and HI or CO velocities, in some cases we areable to improve the constraints on their distances. According to thevelocity criteria, MBM 33-37, MBM 16-18, UT 3-7, and MBM 54-55 arecloser than ~ 100 pc, and MBM 40 is closer than 80 pc. Dense HI cloudsare seen at less than 90 pc and 85 pc in the directions of the MBM 12and MBM 41-43 clouds respectively, but the molecular clouds themselvesmay be far beyond. The above closest molecular clouds are located at theneutral boundary of the Bubble. Only one translucent cloud, G192-67, isclearly embedded within the LB and well isolated.These maps of the distribution of local neutral interstellar NaI gas arealso briefly compared with the distribution of both interstellar dustand neutral HI gas within 300 pc.Tables 1 and 2 are only available in electronic form at the CDS viaanonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp:cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/411/447

Catalogue of Apparent Diameters and Absolute Radii of Stars (CADARS) - Third edition - Comments and statisticsThe Catalogue, available at the Centre de Données Stellaires deStrasbourg, consists of 13 573 records concerning the results obtainedfrom different methods for 7778 stars, reported in the literature. Thefollowing data are listed for each star: identifications, apparentmagnitude, spectral type, apparent diameter in arcsec, absolute radiusin solar units, method of determination, reference, remarks. Commentsand statistics obtained from CADARS are given. The Catalogue isavailable in electronic form at the CDS via anonymous ftp tocdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcar?J/A+A/367/521

Research Note Hipparcos photometry: The least variable starsThe data known as the Hipparcos Photometry obtained with the Hipparcossatellite have been investigated to find those stars which are leastvariable. Such stars are excellent candidates to serve as standards forphotometric systems. Their spectral types suggest in which parts of theHR diagrams stars are most constant. In some cases these values stronglyindicate that previous ground based studies claiming photometricvariability are incorrect or that the level of stellar activity haschanged. Table 2 is only available in electronic form at the CDS viaanonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or viahttp://cdsweb.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/qcat?J/A+A/367/297

Vitesses radiales. Catalogue WEB: Wilson Evans Batten. Subtittle: Radial velocities: The Wilson-Evans-Batten catalogue.We give a common version of the two catalogues of Mean Radial Velocitiesby Wilson (1963) and Evans (1978) to which we have added the catalogueof spectroscopic binary systems (Batten et al. 1989). For each star,when possible, we give: 1) an acronym to enter SIMBAD (Set ofIdentifications Measurements and Bibliography for Astronomical Data) ofthe CDS (Centre de Donnees Astronomiques de Strasbourg). 2) the numberHIC of the HIPPARCOS catalogue (Turon 1992). 3) the CCDM number(Catalogue des Composantes des etoiles Doubles et Multiples) byDommanget & Nys (1994). For the cluster stars, a precise study hasbeen done, on the identificator numbers. Numerous remarks point out theproblems we have had to deal with.

The local distribution of NA I interstellar gasWe present high-resolution absorption measurements (lambda/Delta lambdaapproximately 75,000) of the interstellar Na I D lines at 5890 A toward80 southern hemisphere early-type stars located in the localinterstellar medium (LISM). Combining these results with other sodiummeasurements taken from the literature, we produce galactic maps of thedistribution of neutral sodium column density for a total of 293 starsgenerally lying within approximately 250 pc of the Sun. These mapsreveal the approximate shape of the mid-plane contours of the rarefiedregion of interstellar space termed the Local Bubble. Its shape is seenas highly asymmetric, with a radius ranging from 30 to 300 pc, and withan average radius of 60 pc. Similar plots of the Galactic mid-planedistribution of sources emitting extreme ultraviolet radiation show thatthey also trace out similar contours of the Local Bubble derived from NaI absorption measurements. We conclude that the Local Bubble absorptioninterface can be represented by a hydrogen column density,NuETA = 2 x 1019 cm-2, which explainsboth the local distribution of Na I absorption and the observed galacticdistribution of extreme ultraviolet sources. The derived mid-planecontours of the Bubble generally reproduce the large-scale featurescarved out in the interstellar medium by several nearby galactic shellstructures.

Further high-resolution NA I observations of the local interstellar mediumHigh-resolution absorption measurements of the interstellar Na I D linesat 5890 A observed toward 27 early-type stars in the local interstellarmedium (LISM) are presented. These results are combined with otherhigh-resolution sodium measurements to map the space distribution ofneutral sodium column density for some 118 stars out to less than 200pc. These measurements indicate an upper limit to the neutral sodiumcolumn density of log N(Na I) less than 10.0/sq cm can be inferred outto a distance of 50 pc in most directions in the LISM. Also, therarefield region of the Local Bubble may extend beyond 60 pc in at least35 percent of the directions sampled thus far. Evidence is shown for aubiquitous, comoving vector for neutral NaI gas clouds in the LISM whichis in a different direction to LISM vectors previously reported for moreionized local gas clouds. A comparison of the measured sodium columnswith those of interstellar Ca II for a sample of 12 stars within 95 pcresults in a ratio of Na I/Ca II less than 0.5 for most stars. Thisvalue implies that there could be warm, neutral gas with T of about12,500 K beyond 50 pc in the LISM.

Highly ionized species and circumstellar shells in B8-A1 starsThe nature of the C IV and Si IV absorption seen in the spectra ofapparently normal late-type B and early-type A stars located within 200pc of the sun was investigated by examining a total of 93 archival IUEspectra of 41 stars. In three of these objects, variable or asymmetric CIV profiles indicate that the absorption features have a stellar origin.One star, HD 119921, showed shortward-shifted discrete C IV and Si IVabsorption components similar to those observed in Be stars. All of thestars with detected C IV in their spectra had large values of v sin i.Four of the stars showing C IV and Si IV also showed sharp absorptionfeatures in Si II, with two of these stars displaying variable Si IIfeatures. These results strongly suggest that these stars areunidentified Be/Ae and shell stars.

On the nearest molecular clouds. II - MBM 12 and 16The paper presents echelle spectra recorded at the D lines of Na I forthree stars projected on the high-latitude molecular cloud MBM 16 at l =172 deg, b = -38 deg. The A stars HD 21142 at about 95 pc and HD 21134at about 240 pc show strong D-line absorption at the same velocities asthe CO emission observed at these positions. The distance to MBM 16therefore is in the range of 60 to 95 pc. MBM 16 is only 11 deg awayfrom MBM 12, previously placed by the same method at distance of about65 pc. Consideration is given to the relationship between clouds 12 and16 and the local hot low-density interstellar gas.

Carbon and nitrogen in B2 to A2 main-sequence starsCarbon abundances are derived from the C II resonance doublet at 1335 Ain 108 main-sequence stars between 9000 and 21000 K from IUE archivaldata. Only alpha Leo and psi sq 2 Aqr are strongly carbon deficient(factors 14 and 50, resp.). The N I lines at 1493 and 1495 A weremeasured in 28 sharp-lined stars below 16500 K. Nitrogen anomalies arefound in 5 stars, but seem uncorrelated to the C abundances. Fourmechanisms for the depletion of carbon are discussed, but none issatisfactory.

The local system of early type stars - Spatial extent and kinematicsPublished uvby and H-beta photometric data and proper motions arecompiled and analyzed to characterize the structure and kinematics ofthe bright early-type O-A0 stars in the solar vicinity, with a focus onthe Gould belt. The selection and calibration techniques are explained,and the data are presented in extensive tables and graphs and discussedin detail. The Gould belt stars of age less than 20 Myr are shown togive belt inclination 19 deg to the Galactic plane and node-lineorientation in the direction of Galactic rotation, while the symmetricaldistribution about the Galactic plane and kinematic properties (purecircular differential rotation) of the belt stars over 60 Myr oldresemble those of fainter nonbelt stars of all ages. The unresolveddiscrepancy between the expansion observed in the youngest nearby starsand the predictions of simple models of expansion from a point isattributed to the inhomogeneous distribution of interstellar matter.

Space velocities and ages of nearby early-type starsPhotometric distances and space velocities have been calculated for 458B0-A0 stars with apparent magnitudes not exceeding 6.5. UsingStromgren's ubvy-beta photometry the effective temperature and theposition in bolometric magnitude over the zero-age main sequence of thestars were derived. These quantities were used to obtain age and massfor 423 of the stars by interpolation in the models of stellar evolutionfor the chemical composition (X Z) = (0.7, 0.03). A relation forderiving interstellar reddening for normal stars in the intermediategroup is given.